Authors: Broken Hill Department of Rural Health (Sydney University) & Far West Local Health District (NSW Health).
Year: 2012
Event: 2012 TheMHS Awards
Subject:
Type of resource: TheMHS Awards
Award state: NSW
Award level: Silver
Award category: Rural and/or Remote
Abstract: Over the last six years, the Person-Centred Mental Health Workshop has been delivered to over 350 health and welfare staff as well as nursing, medical and social work students, in Far West NSW. Workshop content and format is the product of a collaborative venture between consumers of the local mental health service and the local Mental Health Academic. It combines consumer driven literature, contemporary mental health practice and the consumers “lived experience” to deliver lessons to health workers about the impact of their practice. Quantitative and qualitative data collected at the workshops confirm participants reflect upon their attitudes when working with people experiencing mental health difficulties. It also highlights that the aspects of the workshop that the participants most valued was the stories delivered by the consumers. While the workshop remains a local, rural program, it has been recognised and commended at local, state and national levels. Description of Facility/Organisation: The Far West Local Health District (FW LHD) has a population of approx 32 000 and services the towns of Broken Hill, Balranald, Dareton, Ivanhoe, Tibooburra, Menindee, Wentworth ,White Cliffs and Wilcannia; in the sparsely settled New South Wales Outback. Broken Hill is the largest regional centre in the western half of New South Wales. The Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health (BHUDRH) was established in 1997 to improve health care in far western NSW. The BHUDRH provides high quality support and education for rural and remote health workers by encouraging academic staff to spend time in the bush and fostering partnerships to improve the quality of health care for rural Australians. Working closely with local health and welfare partners the BH UDRH delivers successful rural placements for students from more than 25 Universities across Australia and provides professional development and support for local health and welfare professionals.
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